Two Sides, One Coin
by kasey8473
Summary: Marian considers Guy of Gisborne. How he repels. How he attracts.


Title: Two Sides, One Coin

Rating: K

Summary: Marian considers Guy of Gisborne. How he repels. How he attracts.

Disclaimer: Robin Hood is not my property. I make no money from this work of fan fiction.

* * *

 _Did he realize at all?_

Marian of Knighton studied Guy of Gisborne with covert glances, careful to look only when the Sheriff's coolly reptilian gaze wasn't upon her. If he noticed, he'd take great delight in telling Guy that she was watching him with a more than casual interest which would draw Guy's attention more firmly onto her. She hardly wanted him spending more time pursuing her. He did too much of that as it was and the Sheriff seemed to enjoy alternately pushing Guy at her and then mocking him for attempting to woo her. The pastime appeared to give the Sheriff more amusement than Marian thought was warranted. He thought it hilarious that Guy still had to woo her when they were supposed to be engaged.

At times, the Sheriff would stare at Marian with narrowed eyes, that slimy gaze drifting down her and back up, then turn his regard onto Guy, an almost puzzled look upon his face. He'd make mentions of her virtue and her age and peer all the more closely at both of them. What was the man looking for? Did he think Marian would allow Guy to take liberties before the wedding?

There'd be no liberties taken if she had any say in the matter.

She glanced away from the both of them. If the Sheriff had his way, Marian doubted she'd have any say in anything. She rather thought he'd like her bound and gagged. Frankly, she was surprised he'd not had her drugged, stripped, and deposited into Guy's bed. It was the sort of thing he'd think was funny.

 _Did he have an inkling of understanding?_

Sir Guy took every opportunity to be near her, looming over her in a way that made her pulse tap fast and her breaths go all shallow. Her throat would feel a bit dry and an odd sense of restlessness would come over her. Occasionally, she even felt like a dove caught by a cat, only a tiny movement away from being torn apart. His blue-eyed gaze, filled with an intensity that, at times, disconcerted her, would slip over her when he was near, his overly familiar regard lingering upon her bosom and hips, as if they were wed already and he had full license to consider her his.

She knew in those moments that he dreamed about her and those dreams were far from chaste.

Her pulse quickened now and she clasped her hands together in her lap, wishing she'd chosen to wear a different dress today. The neckline of this one was too low. He'd been staring at her breasts off and on all morning as if she was a feast that he couldn't wait to tear into. Once, his tongue had slipped out, wetting his lips before a leering little self-satisfied smirk had appeared.

Marian alternately prayed that the King would return and put an end to the Sheriff's greedy terrorization of the entire area and that he wouldn't return, for she'd have to marry Guy if he did return. The thought of marrying him was repulsive. It was. _He_ was repulsive.

At least, Marian kept telling herself that.

 _Was he oblivious? Or did he not care?_

He spoke awkward compliments that almost made her wince, behaved in a manner that was completely inappropriate at all of the wrong times, and consistently pressed her for far more than she thought she'd ever feel comfortable giving him. Friendship of a sort and genial chats were one thing. Kissing him and more was another entirely. She didn't _want_ to kiss him and had lost track of the number of times she'd had to turn her head at the last second or pull away from a sudden embrace with a low murmur that she couldn't be with him, not yet.

He was becoming impatient, his hands growing bolder when he reached for her and Marian knew she couldn't hold him off forever. She suspected she couldn't even hold him off for more than a few months, not since they were supposed to be engaged. He expected more physical expressions of affection, yet Marian couldn't actually bring herself to do any of those things willingly, for she had no affection for him.

She told herself that anyway. There was no affection. None. He was a means to an end, a way to learn information to pass on to Robin.

 _How could he not understand how she really felt?_

He was not handsome. He was not kind. He did not care for the plight of the people. There was _nothing_ about him that was attractive. He was not the one who made her heart feel whole.

And yet….

The Sheriff left the room and with him gone, Guy seemed to relax a fraction, tension slipping from his shoulders and his features becoming not quite so stern. A small sigh left him, a sound she barely heard, and he stepped to the window with a grace that always managed to surprise her. She tended to think of him as clumsy, but he really wasn't. His movements were usually lithe and even elegant. When he fought, there was something…beautiful in his strength and agility.

But it wasn't attractive. It wasn't. She was merely admiring a dangerous animal, for he was dangerous. Guy of Gisborne was a very dangerous man.

The light caught his features and Marian swallowed hard.

For the barest of moments, he _was_ handsome, she could see a flicker of kindness, and Marian found something quite attractive and stirring in this man. Confusion settled upon her like a cloak, for she didn't want to feel anything for him and nothing gentle at that. She longed to hate him, to remain aloof and continue manipulating him with cool calculation.

But he was not unfeeling. He was not devoid of emotions.

His tongue-tied compliments, while worthy of cringes, were somewhat charming in a way. He did try so hard to court her properly and failed so miserably. He did like to talk with her and appeared to enjoy their conversations. Why, he'd even let her give him counsel a few times!

Her mind tried desperately to push all faintly pleasant thoughts of him away and she felt mildly guilty for her deceptions.

No. No guilt. He was cruel. He beat people, tortured, and killed them. He'd left his own child in the woods to die. He plotted against all she held dear. Guy of Gisborne was the enemy just as much as the Sheriff was, perhaps more so because he was the one who carried out those evil plans.

 _Why did he want her? It should be blindingly obvious that she was reluctant._

He repulsed her.

He attracted her.

God help her, she even thought there might be the tiniest measure of tender feeling for him in her! She hated that it was there and that things were growing muddy in any way. She despised feeling out of sorts, as if her world was beginning to go all topsy-turvy.

Guy drew in a breath and turned to face her. "Marian."

Quickly, she recognized that look on his face. It meant he was getting ready to say something inappropriate and awkward. An ardent light was in his eyes and he began to cross towards her. In a moment, he'd be at her and what would he do then? Was he planning to embrace her? Kiss her? Again suggest that she let him bed her?

Oh, he never said it outright, but the language he used conveyed that desire. He wanted her to _be_ with him. He wanted to _know_ her. Marian may be untouched but she still understood what _those_ phrases meant.

She stood up. "I should go. My father should be home by now and I should be there with him."

He stopped most of the way to her, uncertainty rippling across his features.

 _What did it say about him that he did draw back from her when she wanted him to? What did it say about him that he did try to respect some of those boundaries she erected between them?_

"I've overstayed as it is."

"Oh." His head inclined in a slow nod. "If you would wait a moment, I would see you home."

"I couldn't take you from your duties here."

 _What did it say about her that she sometimes found herself wanting him to push at those boundaries?_

"I don't mind."

"The Sheriff might."

"Your safety is important to me." That ardent light reappeared. "You are important to me." He stepped close before she could move, hands grasping her waist and squeezing warmly.

She placed her hands on his arms, knowing full well that she couldn't push him away. He was too strong, but the gesture made her feel better about the embrace. It made her feel that she _could_ push him away. "Guy."

"There is nothing on this earth that I want more than -"

"Gisborne!" Vaisey's bellow came from somewhere in the castle.

Guy's teeth clenched, a muscle on his jaw ticked, and his grip on her waist tightened. So many things flashed across his face in rapid succession. She saw frustration and anger, longing and resignation. Suddenly, she was released and he was stepping back, that hard, arrogant mask he wore once more in place.

His attention slid to the open doorway. "I will speak with you later," he promised, and left in search of his master's voice.

How quickly his moods could change and how quickly revulsion and attraction flipped about inside her!

Revulsion. Attraction.

 _Attraction. Did he know she was attracted to him? He must._

Marian trembled a little. She hugged herself and took a deep breath. Unsettled by her thoughts and by the entire morning, Marian went home. Perhaps there she'd be able to clear her mind of the absolutely ridiculous idea that she found Guy of Gisborne attractive. It was ridiculous. It _was_.


End file.
